Lahore: The Punjab Forest Department has completed high-resolution digital mapping of 621,000 acres of forest land, with an accuracy of up to eight centimetres, officials said on Thursday. The initiative aims to modernize forest management and enhance monitoring of forest cover, tree health, and fire risks.
Punjab Forests Director General Azfar Zia said more than 200 drones are being deployed to detect changes in forest cover, identify diseased trees, and assess fire-prone areas. The department has also developed seven GIS-based digital dashboards to consolidate forest data across the province.
The mapping project uses artificial intelligence for tree counting, achieving over 80 percent accuracy, and employs satellite monitoring to detect illegal logging, encroachments, and other changes in forest areas. Biomass and carbon stock estimates have been carried out over more than 16,000 acres without the need to cut trees.
Officials said a central control room and command centres are operational round the clock for forest monitoring, supported by thermal systems and 46 long-range cameras. An emergency helpline has also been activated, while a large-scale plantation initiative using seed-ball drones is set to be launched in the near future.
The department’s efforts mark a significant step toward integrating technology into forest management, strengthening conservation, and enabling timely responses to environmental threats.
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